Vida and Austin were married on September 12th in Portland’s Peninsula park. It was a glorious sun-filled afternoon, a rarity in the Northwest this year, and a lovely day for an outdoor ceremony. We rendezvoused with the couple downtown at the Doubletree and once they were dressed, we all headed out to the park so we could photograph the couple’s first look at each other.
The garden at Peninsula park has several long hedge rows surrounding the flowers. Vida waited in the shade of several trees while Austin walked to meet her from the other side of the park. His entry required that he walk the long gauntlet of flowers, and the couple smiled and waved as Austin drew closer, he even jumped into the air and made silly gestures to entertain her as she waited.
When Austin made it to her, Vida presented him with dried flowers from a field where they had shared a most precious moment. The inscription read, “Our real day was in a field of Lupines. Life is the flower for which love is the honey.”
When the first look and greeting was complete, we walked to the fountain for some photos, then moved around the park shooting as we waited for the guests to arrive at the gazebo. Even though it was a warm day there were not too many people around the fountain when we got there so we had it mostly to ourselves.
The ceremony was held at the Gazebo in the center of the park. It was a wonderful area to use, affording the guests an intimate view of the ceremony while keeping everyone cool and comfortable.
With the nuptials complete, the couple mounted a tricked out custom bike, and along with members of the wedding party rode a victory lap around the park. This was a very entertaining event, all of the wedding guests and the park inhabitants were completely charmed.
The reception was held at the nearby North Star Ballroom. The colorfully decorated hall was accented by the setting afternoon sun.
Dinner, toasts, and dancing ensued. The guests laughed and participated in each event. Prior to the cake cutting an enticing ceremonial dance took place. The dancer, a member of Vida’s family, danced around the groom in an effort to drive up the price of his bid. This was a crowd pleaser and fun for all involved.
As the evening wound down and the daylight dwindled, we stepped outside with the newlyweds to take a few final portraits. Vida showcased her new purple Chucks, while Austin sported yet another hat, (the man has a hat fetish for certain) for the occasion.
It was an enjoyable and visually splendid day. Thank you Vida and Austin for including us.
You can see the entire wedding gallery here.
